Picks and Pans Review: The Complete Pun Book

"The college freshman had gone to sleep in English class, so the professor threw a book at him. 'What hit me?' asked the freshman, startled. 'That,' replied the professor, 'was a flying Chaucer.' " That's average for the more than 1,500 puns collected here by retired publicist Moger, who would no doubt describe his oddly punctuated first name as a period piece. Although many of his efforts violate Eighth Amendment prohibitions against cruel and unusual punishment ("The first whitener for clothes was used in Miami Bleach"), it's reassuring to know that "A glassblower inhaled and got a pane in his stomach," "A flop cocktail party is a fete worse than death" and "If you're traveling in Scandinavia and you come to the last Lapp, you must be near the Finnish line." (Citadel, $10)